A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to database systems and document imaging systems. The present invention facilitates the use of existing databases with document images by linking the images to database records.
B. Description of the Related Art
Medium to large size computer user groups have spent large sums of money in developing multiple, independent application databases on mainframe, minicomputer, and client-server computer systems. When seeking to add the functionality of an image processing application, however, these users encounter a significant obstacle. Specifically, image processing application developers have focused most development efforts on a different platform, i.e., the personal computer (PC). This difference in platforms, and the corresponding incompatibility between the PC and the other platforms, makes it difficult for users to integrate their older databases on mainframe, minicomputer and client-server computer systems with an image processing application.
Users needing access to both database and image processing applications must therefore select from the following unattractive and expensive alternatives to accommodate their need for both technologies. They can install a new database application on a PC platform with image processing functions. This option requires a major re-recording, re-educating and re-design effort to adapt the databases to the PC platform. Alternatively, users can employ the expensive and typically underdeveloped image processing products designed for mainframe, minicomputer and client-server computer systems.
Neither option, however, really allows the user to make full use of its existing investment in the database application. For example, database applications for the PC are not as sophisticated as those on mainframes. Moving the database from the mainframe to the PC is thus likely to result in a significant loss of functionality that may, in turn, affect the user's ability to use the database effectively in day-to-day operations.
There is, therefore, a need for a system that bridges the gap between existing mainframe, minicomputer or client-server databases and PC platform image processing applications. Such a system would preferably allow users to leave database applications intact and, at the same time, allow them to develop new applications using those databases tightly interfaced with image processing capabilities. Further, the system would allow users to maintain the integrity of information in existing databases, and not require re-keying any information from the databases into a new PC-based image processing application.